Fatih Altaylı's minimum wage prediction: Striking 'early election' claim!

As citizens struggle with the cost of living due to high inflation, rising exchange rates, and the high cost of living, all eyes have turned to the 2025 minimum wage hike.

Journalist Fatih Altaylı made assessments regarding the minimum wage on his own YouTube channel.

Arguing that the 2025 minimum wage will further impoverish employees, Altaylı claimed that a social explosion could occur in the wage hike scenario, which would in turn lead to a decision for early elections.

Here are the highlights from Altaylı's statements:

"THEY WILL HIKE BASED ON TARGET INFLATION"

"Normally, a raise is given at the rate of inflation. Even according to TUIK, inflation will be around 50% at the end of the year, and a raise should be made accordingly. However, we know from Mehmet Şimşek's statements and from the statements of the IMF—which is actually implementing a half-baked, unnamed, secret program—that raises should be made based on target inflation, not realized inflation.

"A TARGET THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MEET"

Then that means what is the target inflation for next year? 17.5 percent. This is actually a lie of a target that is impossible to meet. Pray if it is double that. They will do 17.5 percent, meaning employees will get a raise of one-third and become even poorer.

"TURKEY WILL HEAD TOWARD A SOCIAL EXPLOSION"

Moreover, since inflation will be even higher than that, and since the targets will remain even below inflation, Turkey will head completely toward a social explosion. Maybe that is what they want. I mean, they might want people to rebel, for a social explosion to occur, and then for them to implement harsh measures accordingly. I don't know, I mean...

EMPHASIS ON EARLY ELECTION

But if they continue to do this, that rate of people wanting an early election that I mentioned at the beginning will suddenly go up. It will reach 70 percent, and then you won't be able to withstand it. I mean, you can manage at 55-60 percent, with some people wanting it and some not, etc., but if it exceeds 70 percent, that early election will force itself upon you in a way that will surprise you.

"THE REAL VALUE OF THE MINIMUM WAGE IS 8 THOUSAND..."

According to ENAG, inflation this year is 100%, and according to TUIK, it is 50%. At best, the real value of the minimum wage, which was 17 thousand liras last January, is around 8 thousand liras today compared to that day. Now, if you give a 17% raise to that and inflation is 30%, I cannot calculate that figure.

"IT WILL BE A DISASTER"

My math is not strong enough to do that in my head. It will be a disaster. As I said, no government can withstand that. They think like this: squeeze the people, squeeze them, squeeze them, and then make a massive raise toward the election, saying 'well, if anyone can do it, the AKP can,' 'bless the Reis, he thought of us again,' etc... You know those retired uncles, getting them all worked up... I don't know if it will work or not, of course..."